Header for oil tanks



.1. DOUGLASS HEADER FOR OIL TANKS Jan. 11 1927.

Filed Feb. 27

I N V E N TOR sarily lowered.

Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOSEBH DOUGLASS, OKMULGEE, OKLAHOMA.

HEADER FOR OIL TANKS.

' Application filed February 27, 1924. Serial No. 695,519.

This invention relates to a-method and apparatus for handling oil.-

In accordance with present practice the production of a number of pumping or flowing' wells 011 a lease is introduced into a common tank or other container and the more or less violent contact of the oil from the several flow lines lowers the gravity and consequently the market value of the oil.

It is, therefore, an important object- 'of the invention to provide a header for oil tanks having means whereby violent contact of'the production from the several wells is avoided so that the gravity of the oil is not unneces- Another object of the invention is the provision of a method of coordinating a plurality of streams-of oil into a single stream in a manner to prevent variations-in the gravity of the oil when introduced simultaneously into a tank.

A further object is wherein simple means isprovided to take samples of and toobserve the-production from the several wells so that it is not necessar'y'to go to each well-for the purpose of taking samples and making observations.

A further object is to provide aheader having means whereby the gas which collects in the header may be carried off to'be used for fuel or the manufacture of gasoline. r 7

A further object is to provide a header which may be conveniently attached to an oil tank, or the like, and which will be favorably received in the industry because ofthe fact that it may be installed without'the abandonment of present expensive equipment and without the exercise of unusual skill. Other objects and advantages will be ap parent during the course of the following description. v

In the accompanying drawing forming a partof this application'and in which like numerals are employed 1 to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a perspective of the improved header applied; I

2 is a vertical sectional view through the header applied, and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional-view through a modified form of the invention applied. 1

to provide a header.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line ll of Figure 3.

In the drawing, the numeral 5 designates a tank of iron, wood, or other suitable material, the top wall orthe roof 6 of which. is provided with an opening for the reception of the oil from the header 7. I

The improved header is preferably in the nature of a cylindrical body 8, the lower portion of which is funnel shaped as indicated at 9 so that the several streams of oil'will be gradually merged into one for entrance into the tank.

The top lwall of the header is' provided with a plurality of threaded openings 10 for the reception of attaching .nip-ples'or nozzles 11 of flow lines 12. The several flow lines '12 extend from different wells on the lease and convey the oil and a limited quan tity of gas from the wells to the tank by way of the receiver or header 8.

Itwill be seen with reference to Fig. 2 i

that the oil from the several flow lines en'- ters the receiver in substantially parallel streamsand these streams contact with the funnel shaped bottom and arethereby gradually mergedinto one. so that the gravity of the oil is not lowered. In other words, the funnel-shaped portion 9 provides a baffiing means spaced from the nozzles 11 to receive and merge the oil into a single stream with Variation in the'gr avity of the oil.

It might bestated at this point that the violent contact of the oil from the several flow lines greatly cuts the oil and consequently lowers the market Value of the same. This invention overcomes this disadvantage and, therefore, enables the producer to obtain a higher price for the oil. 7

Also, the production of'the several wells maybe accurately observed and separate samples may be taken at the header by the removal of a cap 14 threaded into the top of theheader as shown in Fig. 2. The cap 14 may be provided with suitable means 15 to facilitate turning by hand or otherwise.

By removing the cap 14 it' may be readily ascertained exactly which wells are producing and which wells are'not. Also, samples of the production from the difi'erent wells may be'readily'taken for test purposes.

' 'As shown in Fig. 2 one or more gas lines 16 extend from the top wall of the header and conduct the gas which collects in the header to a suitable point of use.

In carrying out the invention, the lower portion of the funnel shaped bottom 9 may be provided with an attaching flange 18 which may be secured to the top wall 6 of the tank by rivets or other suitable fastening devices 19.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, the header is designated by the numeral 20 and is provided at the upper portion of the funnel shaped bottom 21 with an annular attaching flange 22 secured to the top of the tank by fastening devices 23 of any suitable nature.

In this form of the invention the principal flow lines 25 may extend radially into the upper portion of the header to discharge the production from the several wells into separate chambers arranged in the path of travel of the oil and adapted to gradually change the course of the oil. More specifically, the several separate chambers ,50 are formed from a plurality of lengths of metal curved longitudinally and secured at their ends to the header at' opposite sides of the inlet pipes 25. Figure 8 illustrates that the chambers 50 are provided with curved top walls which cause the oil to gradually change its direction of travel and flow down into the funnel shaped portion 21. Briefly, the several chambers 50 define a baifle by means of which the several lines of fluid are prevented from coming violently into contact with each other.

The top wall of the header 20 may be provided with emergency or supplemental flow lines 28 and with a gas line 29. The header 20 is provided with a centrally arranged opening at the top for the reception of an attaching portion of a cap or closure 30.

If desired suitable means such as a pipe 49 may be provided to conduct the production to any depth in the tank before being released.

The principal feature of the method and apparatus forming the subject of this application resides in the fact that the several streams of oil from the wells are gradually merged to avoid lowering of the gravity of the oil and, of course, various sizes of headers, pipes, and observation openings may be employed without departing from the invention. V

In fact the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing illustrate that the invention forming the subject matter of this application is capable of a wide variation of mechanical expressions and, therefore, it is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that such minor changes in arrangementshaped portion to merge the oil and constructionof the parts may be made as will remain within the spirit of the invention and the scope of what is claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A header for oil tanks comprising a receiver having means whereby a plurality of flow lines from different wells maybe connected thereto, said receiver being provided with means to gradually mergethe several streams of oil entering the receiver whereby to avoid lowering the gravity of the oil.

2. A header for oil tanks" comprising a body having a funnel shaped bottom and having means whereby separate flow lines from different wells may be connected thereto, said tunnel shaped bottom being in the path of the oil and constituting a means to gradually merge the several streams of oil introduced into the body. 7

3. A structure of the character specified comprising a receiver, a plurality of inlet members connected to the receiver and disposed substantially parallel to the axis of the receiver, said inlet members being adapted to convey oil from different sources to the receiver, said receiver being provided with a funnel-shaped bottom in the path of travel of the oil from said inlet members whereby to gradually merge the oil from the different inlet members into a single stream and to maintain the gravity of the oil.

1. A header for oil tanks comprising a receiver, a plurality of supply members extending radially into the receiver, and a battle arranged inwardly of said supply membersand adapted to avoid conflicting of the several streams of oil from the supply members.

5. The construction set forth in claim 4., and additional supply members connected to the upper portion of the receiver and eXtending longitudinally thereof to direct the oil in parallel streams into the receiver.

6. The construction set forth in claim 4:, said receiver being provided with a funnel from the several supply members.

7. A header for oil tanks comprising a body having means whereby a plurality of radially arranged flow lines may be connected thereto, and a bafile arranged within the header and having a chamber in the path of travel of each stream of oil.

8. The construction set forth in claim 7, the inner wall of each chamber being curved to change the direction of travel of the .oil'.

9. An apparatus of the class described comprising a plurality of pipes each being adapted to be charged with a supply of oil from a separate source andhaving discharge nozzles, and means to receive the streams of oil from the nozzlesand nerge said streams into a single stream without substantially to receive the streams of oil from the nozzles afiecting the gravity of the oil. and merge said streams into a single stream 10. An apparatus of the class described without substantially affecting the gravity of 10 comprising a plurality of pipes each being the oil. 5 adapted to be charged With a supply of oil In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. from a separate source and having discharge nozzles, and means spaced from said nozzles JOSEPH DOUGLASS. 

